1997 Dodge Ram: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 513 complaints
513
Total Complaints
71,000mi
Median Mileage
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Top Issue
51
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

59,000 25th Percentile
71,000 Median Mileage
108,250 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
39
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
37
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
31
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
20
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
15
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
15
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
12
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
12
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
11

Severity Assessment

51
Crashes
19
Fires
42
Injuries
7
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 57 MPH, FELT/HEARD A POP SOUND IN THE STEERING AREA, HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE, HAD NO BRAKES (ABS), CRASHED, HIT TELEPHONE POLE, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK"
"WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 57 MPH, FELT/HEARD A POP SOUND IN THE STEERING AREA, HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE, HAD NO BRAKES (ABS), CRASHED, HIT TELEPHONE POLE, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK"
"ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN GOING 55-60 MPH AND STEPPING ON THE BRAKES, THE LEFT SIDE DROPS DOWN AND THE VEHICLE GOES TO THE LEFT. THE BRAKE PADS AND CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. THE SYSTEM HAS ABS ON THE REAR. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28